Vehicle having interactive lean control

ABSTRACT

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some implementations a motorized tricycle includes a lean mechanism and an active system that is operably coupled to the lean mechanism that receives an signal indicative of an interaction with human, that is operable to detect a lean of the body of the human and that is operable to receive a sensed movement on the seat via multisensory devices, and to generate and send a signal to the lean mechanism from the signal, the lean and the sensed movement.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of, and claims the benefit andpriority under 35 U.S.C. 120 of U.S. Original patent application Ser.No. 16/036,926 filed 16 Jul. 2018, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety, which claims the benefit and priority under35 U.S.C. 120 of U.S. Original patent application Ser. No. 15/422,429filed 1 Feb. 2017, now patent Ser. No. 10/023,258 which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety, which claims the benefit andpriority under 35 U.S.C. 120 of U.S. Original patent application Ser.No. 14/797,139 filed 12 Jul. 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,555,849, which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to vehicles and more particularly totwo, three and four-wheeled vehicles.

BACKGROUND

The three wheeler market kit/conversion industry is predominantlyfocused on vehicles having one front-wheel and two rear-wheels (1F2R),with a rapidly emerging focus on vehicles with two front-wheels and onerear-wheel (2F1R) for customs and production vehicle manufacturers. Themarket segment for conversions is nascent and includes a variety ofpotentially competing platforms, such as delta trikes; ‘fide-on’ reversetrikes, and open cockpit, ‘side-by-side’ reverse trikes. Current designsof three-wheeled motorcycles focus more on the 1F2R designs. The “deltatrike” is a popular design that exemplifies this layout. However, theone-front-two rear design is inherently unstable and exhibits poorhandling characteristics. However, none of the conventional designs areeven robustly stable. The need for a stable design for a 1F2R or 2F1Rvehicle has been recognized and long felt for over 80 years, and hasbeen characterized by failure by many others to design a stable 1F2R or1F2R vehicle using other designs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems areaddressed herein, which will be understood by reading and studying thefollowing specification.

In one aspect, a motorized tricycle includes a lean mechanism and anactive system that is operably coupled to the lean mechanism thatreceives an signal indicative of an interaction with human, that isoperable to detect a lean of the body of the human and that is operableto receive a sensed movement on the seat via multisensory devices, andto generate and send a signal to the lean mechanism from the signal, thelean and the sensed movement.

The disclosure herein is applicable to, and can be implemented on, twofront wheels and one rear wheel (2F1R) ‘reverse tricycle’ vehicles, onefront wheel and two rear wheels (1F2R) ‘tricycle’ vehicles, one frontwheel and one rear wheel (1F1R) ‘motorcycle’ vehicles and two frontwheel and two rear wheel (2F2R) ‘quad’ vehicles. Apparatus, systems, andmethods of varying scope are described herein. In addition to theaspects and advantages described in this summary, further aspects andadvantages will become apparent by reference to the drawings and byreading the detailed description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric drawing of a three-wheeled two-front-one-reartricycle with retractable cockpit canopy system, according to animplementation.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a three-wheeled two-front-one-rear vehicle,according to an implementation.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of forces acting on a three-wheeledtwo-front-one-rear vehicle, in some implementations in which the forcesacting on the center of gravity are in line to that of the central axisof the vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of forces acting on a three-wheeledtwo-front-one-rear vehicle, in some implementations in which the vehicleis turning.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of forces acting on a three-wheeledtwo-front-one-rear vehicle, in some implementations in which the vehicleis at rest, but leaning.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of forces acting on vehicle that isthree-wheeled two-front-one-rear, in some implementations in which thevehicle is turning.

FIG. 7 is an isometric drawing of the front of the tube frame under thebody with wheels, according to an implementation.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension, according to an implementation.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the modular chassis with articulatingsuspension, according to an implementation.

FIG. 10 is a top view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension, according to an implementation.

FIG. 11 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 10, according to animplementation.

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension, according to an implementation.

FIG. 13 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 12, according to animplementation.

FIG. 14 is a horizontal top view of the isometric drawing of modularchassis with articulating suspension, according to an implementation.

FIG. 15 is a side view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension, according to an implementation.

FIG. 16 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 17, according to animplementation.

FIG. 17 is a front view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension set, according to an implementation.

FIG. 18 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 17, according to animplementation.

FIG. 19 is an isometric drawing of the tube frame under the body,according to an implementation.

FIG. 20 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 19, according to animplementation.

FIG. 21 is a side view of the front portion of the isometric drawing ofthe tube from under the body, according to an implementation.

FIG. 22 is an inset of the axle in FIG. 21, according to animplementation.

FIG. 23 is a front view of the isometric drawing of the tube frame underthe body, according to an implementation.

FIG. 24 is a detailed isometric drawing of the front axle and frontportion of the tube frame, according to an implementation.

FIG. 25 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 24, according to animplementation.

FIG. 26 is a front view of the isometric drawing of the front axle ofthe tube from under the body, according to an implementation.

FIG. 27 is an isometric drawing of the modular chassis with articulatingsuspension and fail-safe apparatus, according to an implementation.

FIG. 28 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 27, according to animplementation.

FIG. 29 is a top view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension and fail-safe apparatus, according to animplementation.

FIG. 30 is a side view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension and fail-safe apparatus, according to animplementation.

FIG. 31 is an apparatus of the modular chassis with articulatingsuspension and fail-safe apparatus, according to an implementation.

FIG. 32 is a top view of the modular chassis with articulatingsuspension and fail-safe apparatus, according to an implementation.

FIG. 33 is a schematic of an input power filter, according to animplementation.

FIG. 34 is a model of an accelerating vehicle, according to someimplementation.

FIG. 35 is a block diagram of a LMC that uses a layered hierarchy,according to some implementation.

FIG. 36 is a block diagram of a single voltage system in someimplementations in which the battery voltage is also the motor voltage.

FIG. 37 is a block diagram of a voltage conversion system, according toan implementation in which a primary battery voltage is converted to ahigher secondary voltage for motor operation.

FIG. 38 is a schematic of an electrical circuit, according to animplementation.

FIG. 39 is a schematic of a decoupling capacitor, according to animplementation.

FIG. 40 is a schematic of a decoupling capacitor, according to animplementation.

FIG. 41 is a schematic of a decoupling capacitor, according to animplementation.

FIG. 42 is a schematic of an input circuit for motor current monitoring,according to an implementation.

FIG. 43 is a schematic of switches on the motor drive board, accordingto an implementation.

FIG. 44 is a schematic of current monitors for the switches on the motordrive board, according to an implementation.

FIG. 45 is a schematic of 3 phase motor controller, according to animplementation.

FIG. 46 is a schematic of motor current monitors, according to animplementation.

FIG. 47 is a block diagram of a control computer in which differentmethods can be practiced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION System Level Overview

FIG. 1 is an isometric drawing of a three-wheeled two-front-one-reartricycle 100 with retractable cockpit canopy system 102, according to animplementation. The vehicle is a versatile platform allowing multipleconfigurations and customizations to target varying consumerpreferences. Entirely unique to the three-wheeled two-front-one-reartricycle 100 is a retractable cockpit canopy system 102, enabling thevehicle to be ridden in the full open/top off configuration, and eitherwith or without doors 104. The retractable cockpit canopy system 102offers protection from foul weather opening up year-round use and makingthis attractive to everyone from workday commuters to recreationalriders. Commuters can enjoy using the single occupancy HOV lane with thecomfort of climate control. Entirely unique to the three-wheeledtwo-front-one-rear tricycle 100 is an interactive lean control (ILC)system described in greater detail below in FIG. 2-47 that providesstability in situations where conventional vehicles would roll-over.

In some implementations, the three-wheeled two-front-one-rear tricycle100 employs motorcycle type handlebars, with common motorcycle typecontrols (clutch, brake and throttle). Switches are mounted on each handgrip for initiating lean control. The right hand switch leans thethree-wheeled two-front-one-rear tricycle 100 to the right and the lefthand switch leans the three-wheeled two-front-one-rear tricycle 100 tothe left. The switches may be a simple on/off type or may be used toinitiate a pre-programmed lean profile (speed proportional, soft start,etc.) Alternatively, an additional axis of motion at each hand grip maybe employed to initiate lean control, so that lean is initiated bybending the hand grip downward. This control may be a simple on/off typeor may be proportional, the angle of the hand grip being proportional tothe angle of the commanded lean.

The three-wheeled two-front-one-rear tricycle 100 employs an automobiletype steering wheel. Switches are mounted at locations corresponding tothe thumb when the driver's hands are placed at the common 10 o'clockand 2 o'clock positions. Alternatively, a trigger type switch may beemployed mounted at locations corresponding to the forefinger when thedriver's hands are placed at the common 10 o'clock and 2 o'clockpositions. Alternatively, an additional axis of motion (yaw) at eachhand location may be employed to initiate lean commands. These controlsmay have any of the characteristics noted in the motorcycle typesection. Other implementations of the three-wheeled two-front-one-reartricycle 100 that have a saddle seat and handlebars fall into thegeneral category of motorcycle. An important distinction of thethree-wheeled two-front-one-rear tricycle 100 that have a saddle seatand handlebars is that the three-wheeled two-front-one-rear tricycle 100can include a saddle because of the interactive lean control (ILC)system.

In some implementations, the three-wheeled two-front-one-rear tricycle100 employs a two axis joystick for acceleration/deceleration andturning. Two switches are mounted on the joystick for thumb operation.Alternatively, an additional axis of motion (yaw) may be employed toinitiate lean commands. These controls may have any of thecharacteristics noted in the motorcycle type section. While thethree-wheeled two-front-one-rear tricycle 100 is not limited to anyparticular three-wheeled two-front-one-rear tricycle 100 and retractablecockpit canopy system 102 for sake of clarity a simplified three-wheeledtwo-front-one-rear tricycle 100 and retractable cockpit canopy system102 are described.

The three-wheeled two-front-one-rear tricycle 100 provides activecontrol in a counter—steering leaning trike at performance speeds withhuman-rated safety system design and an intuitive/purest motorcyclistcontrol.

Apparatus Implementations

In the previous section, a system level overview of the operation of animplementation was described. In this section, the particular apparatusof such an implementation are described by reference to a series ofdiagrams.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a vehicle 200 that is three-wheeledtwo-front-one-rear, according to an implementation. The vehicle 200includes the following elements: a three-wheeled architecture 202, asliding canopy 204, a lean mechanism controller 206, and software 208.For purposes of this description the term a lean mechanism controller206 refers to all elements mechanical, electrical, electronic (includingsoftware). These include the lean mechanism controller 206 as well asother electronically controlled or assisted driving elements such asbraking, steering and suspension, electrical distribution systems,batteries, motors, mechanical linkages and gearings, hydraulics andassociated pumps and valves, etc., sensors, computers and software.

In order for the lean mechanism controller 206 to control the tilt ofthe vehicle some means of determining the tilt of the vehicle isrequired. This may be accomplished through any of the following means.

The Mechanical Position Sensor measures the mechanical motion of thelean actuator. This motion may be linear or rotational depending on thetype of actuator used.

With a Linear Lean Actuator the tilt angle of the wheels can bedetermined by measuring the length of the linear actuator. This may bedone by employing linear potentiometers, string potentiometers, or alinear variable differential transformer (LVDT).

With a Rotary Lean Actuator the tilt angle of the wheels may bedetermined by measuring the rotational angle of the rotary actuator.This may be done by employing rotary potentiometers, resolvers,synchros, optical or electrically commutating encoders, or magneticangle sensors. This measurement may be taken on the actuator shaft or atthe wheel itself.

The tilt angle may be inferred from knowledge of the state of theactuator motor, specifically the number of rotations of the motor fromsome known position, and the turning ratio of the gearing in theactuator. One or more known positions can be detected with the use oflimit switches or mechanical stops. Motor rotation may be measured usingany of the rotational position sensors noted above. Alternatively, inthe case of stepper motors, the number of rotations of the motor isknown from the number of steps commanded by the control computer.Alternatively, in the case of brushless DC (BLDC) motors, the number ofrotations of the motor is known from the angular feedback required forany BLDC motor. This feedback is in the form of reverse EMF, Hall effectsensors, or any of the rotary sensors noted above.

The tilt angle may be measured by employing inertial sensors such asgyroscopes and accelerators, in some implementations, based onmicro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technologies. In animplementation of this element the tilt angle would be measured by atleast two of the above methods, one with high precision for theoperation of the lean actuator control loop and others with lessresolution as a means of ensuring the accuracy of the control loopsensor.

The TC employs Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors deployed in atleast four locations. These locations include the vicinity of each ofthe three wheels and at the CG. At each location is a set of at leastthree identical IMU sensors. Each IMU measures acceleration in threeaxes, angular rate in three axes, and magnetic field in at least oneaxis. Each IMU may be one or multiple sensors acting together. The datafrom the IMUs is used to determine all the forces acting on the vehicle200 at any moment. This allows for precise calculation of the lateralresultant force needed to calculate the tilt angle. IMU data also allowsfor the determination of magnetic heading, road incline and smoothness,braking and acceleration forces, aerodynamic forces, skid andhydroplaning and automatic CG calculation (see below). The data fromeach IMU is compared against the other IMUs in the set and madeavailable to the lean mechanism controller 206 (LMC) software. In theevent that the data from all sensors in the set do not match within themanufacturer's tolerance a fault is registered in the LMC software anddisplayed to the driver, and the faulty sensor is disabled. The sensorsets at the four locations are compared against each other. In the eventthat the data from all sensor sets do not match within expectedcharacteristic parameters a fault is registered in the LMC software anddisplayed to the driver, and the faulty sensor set is disabled.

LMC is an umbrella term for the set of distinct and distributedelectronics and software control functions that form the vehicle 200driver interface. These include everything from low level signalprocessing to environment modeling and adaptive control. For purposes ofthis description “electronics” includes any electronic device used tomanipulate electrical power and sensor signals at the analog level, andany means of communicating between sensors or processing functions.“Software” includes any mathematical of symbolic digital process whetherencoded in as machine executable instructions or as reconfigurabledigital logic circuits.

The lean mechanism controller 206 operates autonomously at all times toensure adequate safety margins while the vehicle 200 is moving, but thedriving experience is greatly enhanced when the driver has the abilityto initiate lean action, especially when entering and exiting a turn.The vehicle 200 employs a variety of manual controls, described asfollows.

The vehicle 200 employs sensors in the driver seat to detect when thedriver leans to the left or right, as a motorcycle rider would lean tocontrol the tilt of a motorcycle. The seat contains load cells tomeasure the differential in weight between the left and right side ofthe seat. Alternatively, the seat may pivot about the roll axis when thedriver leans right or left and this pivot action is measured by any ofthe means noted earlier for measuring rotational movement. The seatcontrol may be a simple on/off type, or may be used to initiate apreprogrammed lean profile (speed proportional, soft start, etc.,) ormay be proportional, the angle of the seat being proportional to theangle of the commanded lean.

The vehicle 200 detects the driver leaning left or right directly usinga video camera. The control is proportional, the commanded lean anglebeing proportional to the lean of the driver's body. Alternatively, thedriver's body motion may be detected by employing an RGB camera and IRlaser depth sensor (Kinect® device). Alternatively, the driver's bodymotion may be detected by an IMU sensor located on the driver's body,typically in a communications headset. The lean mechanism controller 206and the software 208 in vehicle 200 provide a bionic electromechanicalsystem that senses and enhances the Humans/Riders intuitive leanmovements/motions while comparing with multiple electronic sensing andKinematic systems for redundant safety, adaptive intelligence andoptimized/extreme corning performance. The ILC system coupled withindependent steering, hardware and science make the vehicle 200 anextreme exotic SuperTrike that rides like a bike. The ILC is interactiveand bionically moves with the driver. The most significant aspects arethat the ILC cause leaning that is independent of steering inputs,allowing countersteer. In some implementations, the ILC includes forwardlooking sensors and video analysis for virtually autonomous ride andlean control. The ILC is an autonomous equilibrium system that simulatesthe intuitive motorcycle rider's actions.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of forces acting on a vehicle 200 that isthree-wheeled two-front-one-rear, in some implementations in which theforces acting on the CG 302 are in line to that of the central axis 304of the vehicle 200. In a vehicle 200, maximum stability is achieved whenthe forces acting on the vehicle center of CG 302, such as the force dueto gravity, FG 306 are in line with the central axis 304 of the vehicle200.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of forces acting on a vehicle 200 that isthree-wheeled two-front-one-rear, in some implementations in which thevehicle 200 is turning. Consider a vehicle 200 at rest: The force due togravity, FG 306, acts on the CG 302 and is in line with the central axis304 of the vehicle. There are no lateral forces present. Now, considerthe case where the vehicle is turning right: In this case, a secondforce, the FC 402 (centrifugal force), acts laterally on the CG 302.Here the direction of the resultant force, FR 404, is no longer in linewith the central axis 304 of the vehicle, deviating by the angle θ 406.This causes a counter clockwise torque to develop about the CG 302 whichtends to tip the vehicle to the left. (For a left hand turn a clockwisetorque will tend to tip the vehicle 200 to the right.)

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of forces acting on a vehicle 200 that isthree-wheeled two-front-one-rear, in some implementations in which thevehicle 200 is at rest, but leaning Now, consider the vehicle 200 againat rest, but leaning at an angle, ϕ 406: Here the CG 302 has moved tothe right and the force of gravity, FG 306, is no longer in line withthe central axis 304. This causes a clockwise torque to develop aboutthe CG 302 tending to tip the vehicle 200 to the right. (A lean to theleft will create a counter clockwise torque that will tend to tip thevehicle to the left.)

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of forces acting on a vehicle 200 that isthree-wheeled two-front-one-rear, in some implementations in which thevehicle 200 is turning. Finally, consider the vehicle 200 making a righthand turn which creates a resultant force, FR 404, acting through the CG302 at an angle θ (not shown), while the vehicle 200 is tilted at theangle ϕ=θ. It can be shown that the counter clockwise torque produced bythe centrifugal force, FC 402, of the turn is exactly canceled by theclockwise torque produced by the lean. The resultant force actingthrough the CG 302 is once again in line with the central axis 304 ofthe vehicle 200 and the vehicle 200 is stable.

The function of the Lean mechanism controller 206 is to ensure that thevehicle 200 remains stable by tilting the vehicle in response to lateralforces so that the resultant force acts through the CG in line with thecentral axis. While developed particularly for turning forces, the leanmechanism controller 206 is also effective in countering thedestabilizing effects of wind or unlevel terrain.

The vehicle 200 is tilted by means of a Lean Actuator. The Lean Actuatormay be a single actuator connected to both front wheels through amechanical linkage, or it may be independent actuators mounted to eachwheel. Each Lean Actuator may be of two types, either rotary or linear.These are described below.

The Linear Lean Actuator includes a linear actuator connected at one endto the frame of the vehicle 200 and at the other end to one or bothfront wheels so that the plane of the wheel rotates as the linearactuator extends and retracts. The linear actuator may be electrical orhydraulic.

The Hydraulic Linear Lean Actuator is a system including a single ordouble acting hydraulic cylinder, pump and valves to control thedirection of the cylinder piston. The pump may be driven by an electricmotor, or may be driven via a power take off (PTO) either coupleddirectly to the vehicle 200 engine or by an accessory pulley and fanbelt or chain.

The Electric Linear Lean Actuator includes a mechanical linear actuatordriven by a motor. The mechanical linear actuator may be of severalcommon types, including Acme screw, ball screw, or roller (planetary)screw. The motor may be electric, of any common type including brushedDC, brushless DC, stepper, AC inductance, reluctance or axial rotor(pancake). Alternatively the actuator may be driven via a PTO asdescribed above in conjunction with a mechanical or magnetic clutch andreversible motion transmission. Alternatively, the actuator may bedriven by the rotation of the wheels, through a suitable clutch andreversible motion transmission system. Typically the motor speed will bereduced (and torque correspondingly increased) through a gearing systembefore driving the linear actuator screw. This gearing may be of anycommon type, including spur or helical worm gears, planetary gears orstrain wave gearing. Alternatively, the Electric Linear Lean Actuatormay employ a rack and pinion, driven by a motor of any type describedabove. The rack may be straight or curved to accommodate the geometry ofthe mechanical system.

Alternatively, a linear motor may be used where the motor itself becomesthe linear actuator. The linear motor may be any common type includinginduction or synchronous types.

The Rotary Lean Actuator includes a rotary actuator connected at one endto the frame of the vehicle 200 and at the other end to one or bothfront wheels so that the plane of the wheel rotates as the rotaryactuator turns. The rotary actuator may be electrical or hydraulic.

The Hydraulic Rotary Lean Actuator is a system including a rotaryhydraulic motor, pump and valves to control the direction of therotation. The pump may be driven by an electric motor, or may be drivenvia a power take off (PTO) as described above.

The Electric Rotary Lean Actuator includes of a rotating mechanicalactuator driven by a motor. The mechanical actuator is a speed reducinggear box of any common type, including spur or helical worm gears,planetary gears or strain wave gearing. The motor may be electric, ofany common type including brushed DC, brushless BC, stepper, ACinductance, reluctance or axial rotor (pancake). Alternatively theactuator may be driven via a PTO as described above in conjunction witha mechanical or magnetic clutch and reversible motion transmission.Alternatively, the actuator may be driven by the rotation of the wheels,through a suitable clutch and reversible motion transmission system. Themechanical linkage between the rotary actuator and the wheel(s) may bedirect coupling (the wheel mounted on the shaft of the actuator), orthrough any common type of mechanical linkage, including sprocket andchain.

In addition to tilting the vehicle through the use of the Lean Actuator,an electronic suspension system on the front wheels may be employed,either separately of in conjunction with the Lean Actuator, to provide atilt by raising the vehicle 200 body at one wheel and lowering it on theother. In particular, the Lean Actuator may be used for the majority ofthe tilt angle, in response to centrifugal force, while the electronicsuspension applied smaller deviations about the tilt angle in responseto road or engine vibration.

In addition, independent lean actuators on each front wheel may beemployed to apply a camber to the wheels (both wheels leaning outward orinward) during straight ahead driving to provide stability in certainroad or weather conditions. This can only be achieved while the vehicleis moving

In an implementation of the Lean mechanism controller 206 one or moreelectric motors are employed to drive the lean actuator. Electricalpower for the motor(s) is derived from one or more vehicle storagebatteries making use of any of the following electrical distributiontopologies. For purposes of the following the term “battery” may referto a single battery or a parallel or serial combination of batteries, ofany rechargeable type, including lead acid or lithium ion batteries. Inany case, a battery is not necessarily required if the vehicle isequipped with a high current alternator, or other generator type,however in an implementation of this element the battery supplies therelatively large lean actuator motor currents for the short duration ofeach turning maneuver and is continuously recharged by the alternator.

FIG. 7 is an isometric drawing of the front of the tube frame under thebody with wheels 700, according to an implementation. The tube frame 702under the body provides an added level of safety and protection forincreased peace of mind compared to completely exposed riders of twowheeled motorcycles.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassis,according to an implementation.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the modular chassis with articulatingsuspension, according to an implementation. The modular chassis iscapable of mating up to other OEM motorcycles as a kit conversion and/ora rear chassis extension enabling various drive train configurations insingle or double rear wheel drivetrains with numerous power options fromelectric, alternative fuel, and combustible engines. The modular chassismay be tubular, moncoque, or space-frame

FIG. 10 is a top view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension, according to an implementation. Themodular chassis may be tubular, moncoque, or space-frame.

FIG. 11 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 12, according to animplementation. The modular chassis may be tubular, moncoque, orspace-frame.

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension, according to an implementation. Themodular chassis may be tubular, moncoque, or space-frame.

FIG. 13 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 14, according to animplementation. The modular chassis may be tubular, moncoque, orspace-frame.

FIG. 14 is a horizontal top view of the isometric drawing of modularchassis with articulating suspension, according to an implementation.The modular chassis may be tubular, moncoque, or space-frame.

FIG. 15 is a side view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension, according to an implementation. Themodular chassis may be tubular, moncoque, or space-frame. The suspensionset may also be traditional fixed independent suspension.

FIG. 16 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 17, according to animplementation. The suspension includes an axle spindle, a spring, anupper A-Arm, a lower A-Arm. Both the Upper and Lower A-Arms may beH-Arms, strut, trailing and or leading arm type suspensionconfiguration.

FIG. 17 is a front view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension set, according to an implementation. Thesuspension set may also be traditional fixed independent suspension.

FIG. 18 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 17, according to animplementation. This suspension system may be fixed like conventionalautomobile or articulate to provide lean-in turns, counter-balancing,and lateral G-forces. This system may be incorporated into the front,rear, or both front and rear of a motorcycle and autocycle.

FIG. 19 is an isometric drawing of the tube frame under the body,according to an implementation.

FIG. 20 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 19, according to animplementation.

FIG. 21 is a side view of the front portion of the isometric drawing ofthe tube from under the body, according to an implementation.

FIG. 22 is an inset of the axle in FIG. 21, according to animplementation.

FIG. 23 is a front view of the isometric drawing of the tube frame underthe body, according to an implementation.

FIG. 24 is a detailed isometric drawing of the front axle with tiltingindependent suspension system on a modular chassis, according to animplementation. This system is typical of reverse trike 2F1R or quad2F2R configurations. The suspension system shown is leaning to theright.

FIG. 25 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 24, according to animplementation. The front axle with tilting independent suspensionincludes an actuator, lower tower frame mount, a pivot point for thelower tower frame mounter, a pivoting shock tower, and a tower link. Theshock tower serves as the shock mount linking the high misalignment longtravel A-Arm independent suspension assembly. The shock tower pivotsfrom the lower frame mount. The optional tower link may connect thepivoting shock towers to provide tandem articulation of both left andright independent suspension. One actuator may be linked to the towerlink or either tower to control the entire suspension actuation.Alternatively, this member is removed when two actuators are used forindependent lean control.

FIG. 26 is a front view of the isometric drawing of the front axle ofthe tube from under the body, according to an implementation.

In regards to FIG. 27-32, an independent secondary fail-safe tilt brakeand dampening system is shown. The independent secondary fail-safe tiltbrake and dampening system may be a solenoid and gear power off systemas illustrated in FIG. 27-32. Alternatively the independent secondaryfail-safe tilt brake and dampening system may be a linear friction,electromagnetic, caliper or rotary brake and dampening system. Theindependent secondary fail-safe tilt brake and dampening system mayserve both as an independent secondary safety system and a paralleldampening system that additionally manages and mitigates impact andfatigue of primary control system hardware.

FIG. 27 is an isometric drawing of the modular chassis with articulatingsuspension and fail-safe apparatus, according to an implementation.

FIG. 28 is an inset of the front axle of FIG. 27, according to animplementation.

FIG. 29 is a top view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension and fail-safe apparatus, according to animplementation.

FIG. 30 is a side view of the isometric drawing of the modular chassiswith articulating suspension and fail-safe apparatus, according to animplementation.

FIG. 31 is an apparatus of the modular chassis with articulatingsuspension and fail-safe apparatus, according to an implementation.

FIG. 32 is a top view of the modular chassis with articulatingsuspension and fail-safe apparatus, according to an implementation.

FIG. 33 is a schematic of an input power filter 3300, according to animplementation. The input power filter 3300 includes two 12V batteryterminals. The terminals include a positive terminal, BATT+ 3302, andnegative terminal, BATT− 3304. The input power filter 3300 also includesa bidirectional transient voltage suppression (TVS) diode 3306 whichprevents noise on the main battery bus 3308 from propagating into theelectric circuits. Connector 3310 connects the power from either thebattery or another external power source to the rest circuit. A fuse3312 is included on the input power filter 3300 to protect from acatastrophic failure. The input power filter 3300 also includes a pitype low pass filter 3314, which prevents motor noise from interferingwith the electric circuit. LED1 3316 and LED2 3318 are light emittingdiodes which indicate whether power is present on the circuit.

FIG. 34 is a model of an accelerating vehicle, according to someimplementation. The vehicle is moving from left to right driven by theforce, F. This force causes a counterclockwise torque to act about theCG, tending to pull the front of the vehicle up and push the rear of thevehicle down. The force F1 adds to the force of gravity and causes anincrease in acceleration to be measured by IMU1. F2 subtracts from theforce of gravity and causes a decrease in acceleration to be measured byIMU2. Force is related to torque by the relation T=F1×R1=F2×R2, where Fand R are vectors and x is the cross product. Knowing F1 and F2 we cancalculate R1 and R2 (R1+R2 being a known value) and fix the position ofthe CG between the front and rear of the vehicle. Similarly by measuringthe centrifugal forces at the two front wheels we can fix the locationof the CG between the left and right sides of the vehicle. This allowsthe vehicle 200 to calculate in real time any change to the CG from, forinstance, various drivers and cargo. With this capability the Leanmechanism controller 206 is better able to calculate safety margins forbraking and turning maneuvers.

FIG. 35 is a block diagram of a LMC 3500 that uses a layered hierarchy,according to some implementation.

The lowest layer is the Sensor Layer. This layer includes of electronicand electro-mechanical sensors and the additional signal processingcircuitry that is required to convert the sensor measurements intoserial digital data.

The next level is the Verification Layer. This layer determines theveracity of the sensor data by comparing redundant sensor measurements.Once the data is verified, additional processing is employed to extractthe data required for the various elements of the higher layers. Forinstance, the output of an IMU sensor may be correlated with enginevibration data to remove the engine vibration from the accelerationdata. Data is sampled and averaged at different rates depending on theend disclosure for the data. For instance, wheel rotation may be sampledat a very high rate to detect wheel slipping, but at a much lower rateto provide vehicle speed information to the HUD.

The next level is the Processing Layer. This layer utilizes the datafrom the Verification Layer to perform high level processing functions,such as driving the Lean Actuator, controlling the HUD, adjusting thesound quality and volume of the audio system, generating operatingstatus and caution and warning alarms, etc.

The highest level is the Modeling Layer. This layer creates a virtualmodel of the entire environment of vehicle 200, analogous to thedriver's sensory experience. This model includes knowledge of theoperation of all elements of the vehicle 200 as well as knowledge of theimmediate environment around the vehicle from both real time information(from cameras, radar, etc.) and stored information from previous trips(by this vehicle 200 or any other vehicle 200), augmented by availabledisclosures such as GPS, traffic and weather reporting, etc.

The knowledge accumulated in the Modeling Layer is passed back down tothe Processing Layer to augment the sensor based processing to adaptintelligently to environmental conditions. Examples of this behavior mayinclude warning the driver of imminent traffic problems, tuning down theLean Actuator in high wind conditions or adjusting the suspension for anupcoming section of rough road.

The vehicle 200 employs a variety of sensors to monitor the environmentin and around the vehicle. This allows the LMC to create and maintain acomputer model analogous to what the driver experiences. In this way theLMC can adapt various control parameters to changing requirements. Thesesensors are described below.

The vehicle 200 MEMS sensors have already been noted above as providinginputs to the calculation of the tilt angle and automatic CGcalculation. These sensors include the IMU, with triaxial angular rateand acceleration measurement. In addition to providing inputs for thecalculation of the tilt angle, these sensors provide information on roadincline and banking, road surface smoothness, engine vibration, andaerodynamic effects such as wind gusting.

Each wheel of the vehicle 200 is equipped with a rotational speedsensor. These may be in the form of magnetic proximity encoders,resolvers, or magnetic rotation sensors. Knowing the rotational speed ofeach wheel allows the vehicle 200 to detect wheel lock for anti-lockbraking, and wheel slip for active traction control on wet or icy roadsurfaces. In addition wheel speed is used for calculating vehicle speed,acceleration and deceleration, also inputs to the tilt anglecalculation.

The vehicle 200 employs magnetic sensors to detect the geomagnetic fieldof the Earth in order to determine compass heading. This is used inconjunction with the GPS and map system to create a model of thelocation and direction of the vehicle on the road. Corrections to themagnetic heading are applied from a look up table based on the latitudeand longitude coordinates from the GPS in order to provide compassheadings.

The vehicle 200 employs various video cameras to aid in driving andnavigation. A forward looking camera is used to adjust the adaptiveheadlight system, allowing individual lighting elements to be dimmed toprotect the drivers of nearby vehicles from glare, while maintaining thebrightest lighting for driver of the vehicle 200. The forward lookingcamera is also used in conjunction with the GPS and map systems toanticipate upcoming turns and curves in the road. The vehicle 200employs a rear facing camera to provide maximum rearward visibilitywhile driving, and to facilitate parking. The rear facing camera is oneelement of the Heads Up Display (HUD). Both the forward facing and rearfacing cameras are used in conjunction with the Radar System fordetecting potentially dangerous traffic and obstacles. The video camerasmay be sensitive to either visible or infrared light.

The vehicle 200 has the capability of transferring sensor data to andfrom remote third party servers (commonly referred to as “the cloud”)via wireless cellular telephony. This capability has at least twodisclosures, described below. The cloud data is configurable and caninclude anything from location or speed information to a complete recordof all vehicle 200 sensors, including video. This data includes inputsfrom all sensors noted above, as well as common engine functions such astachometer, fuel consumption, battery voltage, coolant temperatures andoil pressure. This allows the driver a complete record of trips, andmost usefully, racing track information. Use of the cloud also allowsthe vehicle 200 to download sensor and route information in real timefrom previous trips, and from other vehicle 200 owners.

The vehicle 200 has the ability to store sensor information recordedwhile driving. This data can be recorded locally in the memory of theLMC, or uploaded to the cloud. Utilizing this data in conjunction withthe GPS and map system allows the vehicle 200 to create a detailed modelof a particular route. In one instance this allows a driver to improvehis track performance in real time lap to lap, as the LMC adapts controlparameters and safety margins to take advantage of foreknowledge of thetrack geometry and conditions. In another instance this allows thecommuter to improve fuel efficiency as the LMC adapts to a daily trafficroutine with foreknowledge of typical traffic patterns and road speeds.In another instance this allows the LMC to adapt to the driving habitsof a particular operator of vehicle 200, adjusting control parametersand safety margins based on the driving habits(acceleration/deceleration, turning speed, reaction time, etc.) of thedriver. In another instance this allows the LMC to detect an impairmentof the driver (or a malfunction of the vehicle 200 itself), if thedriver is having difficulty maintaining the typical driving patternlearned from previously driving the same route. The LMC can then adjustcontrol parameters and increase safety margins to compensate, and evenshut down if required.

FIG. 36 is a block diagram of a single voltage system 3600 in someimplementations in which the battery voltage is also the motor voltage.The battery is discharged into the motor through a control computer andis recharged from an alternator powered by the vehicle engine. Thebattery voltage can be any practical value. In an implementation thebattery voltage is 12V, 24V or 48V. In this system the battery acts as areservoir supplying the lean actuator motor with short bursts of highcurrent for turning, and is recharged continuously at a lower current.

FIG. 37 is a block diagram of a voltage conversion system 3700,according to an implementation in which a primary battery voltage isconverted to a higher secondary voltage for motor operation. In animplementation of system 3100 the secondary voltage would be 90 VDC to300 VDC, or 200 VAC to 240 VAC, either 50 Hz or 60 Hz. The highervoltage makes it possible to use a smaller motor and smaller gaugewiring. In this system the battery acts as a reservoir supplying thelean actuator motor with short bursts of high current for turning, andis recharged continuously at a lower current.

In a dual battery system, the primary voltage (typically 12V) isconverted to a higher voltage (typically 48 VDC to 96 VDC) for chargingthe secondary battery. The primary batter is optional in this system butis shown for completeness. The primary voltage alternator is used forcontinuous charging of the secondary battery through the voltageconverter. The secondary battery supplies large amounts of current inshort bursts to the motor during turns.

The vehicle 200 is equipped with a WIFI Ethernet capability forcommunicating with other nearby vehicles that are equipped with WIFIEthernet capability. This allows the formation of traveling convoys ofvehicle 200 for travel to cycling events or other purposes. By sharingsensor information from vehicle to vehicle speeds and spacing can bematched precisely, with one vehicle 200 being the “master” and theothers being “slaves” as a form of convoy cruise control. In addition,road conditions from vehicles at the front of the convoy can becommunicated to vehicles further back allowing the further back vehiclessome foreknowledge or curves, rough road, sudden traffic stops, etc. TheWIFI also allows owners of vehicle 200 to communicate using audio, andallows the transfer of the forward looking video from the leadingvehicles to the HUD of vehicles further back.

FIG. 38 is a schematic of an electrical circuit, according to animplementation.

FIG. 39 is a schematic of a decoupling capacitor 3900, according to animplementation. The decoupling capacitor 3900 provides instantaneouscurrent to nearby circuitry. The instantaneous current prevents theinductance of the circuit board and wiring from creating noise in thecircuitry. Every integrated circuit component on the board has one ormore of these nearby its supply voltage pin.

FIG. 40 is a schematic of a decoupling capacitor 4000, according to animplementation. The decoupling capacitor 4000 provides instantaneouscurrent to nearby circuitry. The instantaneous current prevents theinductance of the circuit board and wiring from creating noise in thecircuitry. Every integrated circuit component on the board has one ormore of these nearby its supply voltage pin.

FIG. 41 is a schematic of a decoupling capacitor 4100, according to animplementation. The decoupling capacitor 4100 provides instantaneouscurrent to nearby circuitry. The instantaneous current prevents theinductance of the circuit board and wiring from creating noise in thecircuitry. Every integrated circuit component on the board has one ormore of these nearby its supply voltage pin.

FIG. 42 is a schematic of an input circuit 4200 for motor currentmonitoring, according to an implementation. The input circuit 4200includes two current sense resistors, 4202 and 4204 for AUX1 motor 4206and AUX2 motor 4208. The input circuit of the single voltage system 3600also includes two low pass filters, 4210 and 4212, on each circuit.

FIG. 43 is a schematic of switches 4300 on the motor drive board,according to an implementation. The switches 4300 include an optocoupler3702 which receives PWM signals from a control computer. The PWM signalscontrol the single ended motor loads 4304 and 4306. The switches 4300also includes MOSFET switches 4308 and 4310. With one terminal of abrushed motor connected to 12V through the circuit of FIG. 42 and theother terminal connected to the drain 4312 of Q1 or Q2, driving apositive voltage into the gate 4314 of the MOSFET switches 4308 and 4310closes the switch and current flows through the motor.

FIG. 44 is a schematic of current monitors 4400 for the switches on themotor drive board, according to an implementation. The filtered currentsense voltage is applied to the VIN+ and VIN− inputs of U9, where it isamplified by a gain of 20. The CMPOUT signal (pin 6) is a warning signalthat indicates that the motor current has exceeded a threshold set bythe ratio of resistors R18 and R19. An identical circuit exists for theAUX2 motor.

FIG. 45 is a schematic of 3 phase motor controller 4500, according to animplementation. FIG. 45—U11 and U12 are optocouplers. They receive thePWM signals for motor phases A, B and C from the control computer. Thepurpose of an optocoupler is to transmit a signal across an electricalboundary using a light emitting diode and photo sensitive receiver. Thiskeeps switching noise from the motor windings from interfering with thevoltages on the control computer. U11 receives the PWM signals for phaseA and phase B, U12 receives the PWM signal for phase C, and the motordisable signal. U13 is the PWM generator. It takes the three PWM signalsand the disable signal from U11 and U12 and converts them into drivevoltages for the three phase H-Bridge (Q3 thru Q8). An H-bridge is acommon way of applying voltage to loads such as motors. Each of thethree phases of the motor (A,B,C) is connected to one pair of MOSFETtransistor switches. Phase A is connected to Q3, Q4; Phase B isconnected to Q5, Q6; Phase C is connected to Q7, Q8. Turning on one (andonly one) transistor in each pair allows each motor phase to beconnected to either 12V or 0V. The different motor phases are excitingin the proper sequence to make the motor turn. This is a standardtechnique for driving brushless DC motors. The three low sidetransistors, Q4, Q6, and Q8, are each turned on by applying a voltage(˜10V) to the gate pin (pin 1). This voltage comes from U13, followingthe PWM inputs from the control computer. The diodes D2-D4 and thecapacitors C21-C23, form a bootstrapping circuit for U13. The purpose ofthis circuit is to create a gate voltage for the three high sidetransistors, Q3, Q5, and Q7. Since these transistors are on the highside of the motor winding, the output of each (the source, pin 3) is at12V when the switch is on. In order to drive the gate 10V higher thanthe source and gate voltage of ˜22 volts is required. The bootstrapcircuit creates this voltage in the following way: When Q4 is closed,the pin AHS is pulled to 0V. This charges the capacitor C23 through thediode D2 to ˜10V. When Q4 is opened and Q3 is closed, the pin AHS ispulled to 12V and the voltage at pin AHB is now 10V+12V=22V. Thisvoltage is made available in U13 to drive the gates of the high sidetransistors. Phases B and C work likewise. The diodes D9 thru D14 areSchottky type high speed diodes. Their purpose is to supply a path toground for the large negative voltages that occur when a (highlyinductive) motor phase is switched off. They protect the low sidetransistors. The resistor R31 is the current sense resistor for Phase A.With a value of 0.001 ohm, it generates a voltage of 0.001 times thecurrent through Phase A, or 0.1V for 100 amps. The resistors R34, R35and the capacitor C24 form a low pass filter to remove some of the highfrequency switching noise from the current sense voltage. Phases B and Chave identical circuits.

FIG. 46 is a schematic of motor current monitors 4600, according to animplementation. Continuing with Phase A, the filtered voltage across R31in FIG. 46 is applied between the VIN+ and VIN− inputs of U6. U6 is acurrent sense amplifier and multiplies the current sense voltage by afactor of 20, so a 100 amp motor current (0.1V current sense voltage)will result in a 2V output. This output signal (CURRENT_A) is sent tothe control computer board to be used in the control computer. Pin 6 isa comparator output that sends an over current warning signal in theevent that the motor current is too high. The threshold for this warningcurrent is set by the ratio of the resistors R11 and R16. Phase B and Chave identical circuits.

Hardware and Operating Environment

The description of FIG. 47 provides an overview of electrical hardwareand suitable computing environments in conjunction with which someimplementations can be implemented. Implementations are described interms of a computer executing computer-executable instructions. However,some implementations can be implemented entirely in computer hardware inwhich the computer-executable instructions are implemented in read-onlymemory. Some implementations can also be implemented in client/servercomputing environments where remote devices that perform tasks arelinked through a communications network. Program modules can be locatedin both local and remote memory storage devices in a distributedcomputing environment.

FIG. 47 is a block diagram of a control computer 4700 in which differentimplementations can be practiced. The control computer 4700 includes aprocessor (such as a Pentium III processor from Intel Corp. in thisexample) which includes dynamic and static ram and non-volatile programread-only-memory (not shown), operating memory 4704 (SDRAM in thisexample), communication ports 4706 (e.g., RS-232 port 4708 COM1/2 orEthernet port 4710), and a data acquisition circuit 4712 with analoginputs 4714 and outputs and digital inputs and outputs 4716.

In some implementations of the control computer 4700, the dataacquisition circuit 4712 is also coupled to counter timer ports 4740 andwatchdog timer ports 4742. In some implementations of the controlcomputer 4700, an RS-232 port 4744 is coupled through a universalasynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) 4746 to a bridge 4726.

In some implementations of the control computer 4700, the Ethernet port4710 is coupled to the bus 4728 through an Ethernet controller 4750.

With proper digital amplifiers and analog signal conditioners, thecontrol computer 4700 can be programmed to drive coolant control gatevalves, either in a predetermined sequence, or interactively modifycoolant flow by opening and closing (or modulating) coolant controlvalve positions, in response to engine or coolant temperatures. Theengine temperatures (or coolant temperatures) can be monitored bythermal sensors, the output of which, after passing through appropriatesignal conditioners, can be read by the analog to digital convertersthat are part of the data acquisition circuit 4712. Thus the coolant orengine temperatures can be made available as information/data upon whichthe coolant application program can operate as part of decision-makingsoftware that acts to modulate coolant valve position in order tomaintain the proper coolant and engine temperature.

Conclusion

A tilting two-front-one-rear vehicle is described. A technical effect ofthe coordinated tilting of a vehicle during turns. Although specificimplementations are illustrated and described herein, it will beappreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangementwhich is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted forthe specific implementations shown. This disclosure is intended to coverany adaptations or variations. For example, although described intricycle terms, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate thatimplementations can be made in automobiles or any other vehicle thatprovides the required function.

In particular, one of skill in the art will readily appreciate that thenames of the methods and apparatus are not intended to limitimplementations. Furthermore, additional methods and apparatus can beadded to the components, functions can be rearranged among thecomponents, and new components to correspond to future enhancements andphysical devices used in implementations can be introduced withoutdeparting from the scope of implementations. One of skill in the artwill readily recognize that implementations are applicable to futuresensor devices, different tricycles, and new microprocessors.

The terminology used in this disclosure meant to include alltransportation and vehicle environments and alternate technologies whichprovide the same functionality as described herein.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A motorized tricycle comprising: a frame;two front wheels operably coupled to the frame; one rear wheel operablycoupled to the frame; a suspension system operably coupled to one orboth front wheels, the suspension system including a lean actuator inwhich one end of the lean actuator is connected to the frame, the leanactuator being configured to tilt the frame of the motorized tricycle; aplurality of inertial measurement unit sensors, one of which is operablycoupled to the frame of the motorized tricycle, each of the plurality ofinertial measurement unit sensors perform measurement of acceleration inthree axes, angular rate in three axes, and measures magnetic field inat least one axis; a lean mechanism controller that is operably coupledto the lean actuator of the suspension system, the lean mechanismcontroller including a sensor layer that is operably coupled to theplurality of inertial measurement unit sensors, a verification layerthat is operably coupled to the sensor layer and that includes acomponent that determines accuracy of data from the sensor layer bycomparing redundant measurements from the sensor layer; and an activesystem that is operably coupled to the lean mechanism controller thatoperates in two modes: a first mode being an autonomous mode in whichthe active system includes a first component that generates a signal totilt the motorized tricycle in response to lateral forces so that aresultant force acts in line with a central axis of the motorizedtricycle, the signal being generated from the plurality of inertialmeasurement unit sensors, the signal being generated independent ofsteering inputs, and a second component that is coupled to the firstcomponent that sends the signal to the lean mechanism controller, thelateral forces including turning forces and effects of wind or unlevelterrain, the active system also including a third component that iscoupled to the first component and that determines magnetic heading,road incline and smoothness, braking and acceleration forces,aerodynamic forces, skid and hydroplaning from data from the pluralityof inertial measurement unit sensors, and a second mode being aninteractive mode in which the active system includes a fourth componentthat detects a lean of a body of a human and a fifth component thatgenerates a signal to tilt the motorized tricycle in response to lateralforces so that a resultant force acts in line with a central axis of themotorized tricycle, the signal being generated from the signal that isindicative of interaction with the human and from data from theplurality of inertial measurement unit sensors and the plurality ofinertial measurement unit sensors, and the second component that iscoupled to the fifth component that sends the signal to the leanmechanism controller.
 2. The motorized tricycle of claim 1 furthercomprising: triggers on a seat of the motorized tricycle.
 3. Themotorized tricycle of claim 2, wherein the triggers further comprises:at least one switch.
 4. The motorized tricycle of claim 2, wherein thetriggers further comprises: at least one gyroscope.
 5. The motorizedtricycle of claim 1 further comprising: a motorcycle saddle seat;handlebar motorcycle controls; and an enclosable cockpit.
 6. Themotorized tricycle of claim 1 further comprising: a steering wheeloperably coupled to one of the two front wheels or the one rear wheel.7. The motorized tricycle of claim 1 further comprising: a seat.
 8. Amotorized vehicle comprising: a frame; two front wheels operably coupledto the frame; two rear wheels operably coupled to the frame; asuspension system operably coupled to one of the wheels, the suspensionsystem including an electronic suspension system in which one end of theelectronic suspension system is connected to the frame, the electronicsuspension system being configured to tilt the frame of the motorizedvehicle; a plurality of inertial measurement unit sensors, one of whichis operably coupled to the frame, each of the plurality of inertialmeasurement unit sensors perform measurement of acceleration in threeaxes, angular rate in three axes, and measures magnetic field in atleast one axis; a lean mechanism controller that is operably coupled tothe electronic suspension system of the suspension system, the leanmechanism controller including a sensor layer that is operably coupledto the plurality of inertial measurement unit sensors, a verificationlayer that is operably coupled to the sensor layer and that includes acomponent that determines accuracy of data from the sensor layer bycomparing redundant measurements from the sensor layer; and an activesystem that is operably coupled to the lean mechanism controller thatoperates in two modes: a first mode being an autonomous mode in whichthe active system includes a first component that generates a signal totilt the motorized vehicle in response to lateral forces so that aresultant force acts in line with a central axis of the motorizedvehicle, the signal being generated from the plurality of inertialmeasurement unit sensors, the signal being generated independent ofsteering inputs, and a second component that is coupled to the firstcomponent that sends the signal to the lean mechanism controller, thelateral forces including turning forces and effects of wind or unlevelterrain, the active system also including a third component that iscoupled to the first component and that determines magnetic heading,road incline and smoothness, braking and acceleration forces,aerodynamic forces, skid and hydroplaning from data from the pluralityof inertial measurement unit sensors, and a second mode being aninteractive mode in which the active system includes a fourth componentthat detects a lean of a body of a human and a fifth component thatgenerates a signal to tilt the motorized vehicle in response to lateralforces so that a resultant force acts in line with a central axis of themotorized vehicle, the signal being generated from the signal that isindicative of interaction with the human and from data from theplurality of inertial measurement unit sensors and the plurality ofinertial measurement unit sensors, and the second component that iscoupled to the fifth component that sends the signal to the leanmechanism controller.
 9. The motorized vehicle of claim 8 furthercomprising: a steering wheel operably coupled to one of the wheels. 10.The motorized vehicle of claim 8 further comprising: a motorcycle saddleseat; handlebar motorcycle controls; and an enclosable cockpit.
 11. Themotorized vehicle of claim 8 further comprising: a cockpit; a saddleseat; motorcycle controls; and an enclosable open configuration.
 12. Themotorized vehicle of claim 8 further comprising: a seat.
 13. Themotorized vehicle of claim 11 wherein the inertial measurement unitsensors further comprise: a forward looking sensor that is mechanicallycoupled to the frame and that is operably coupled to the active system.14. A motorized tricycle comprising: a frame; one front wheel operablycoupled to the frame; two rear wheels operably coupled to the frame; asuspension system operably coupled to one or both front wheels, thesuspension system including a lean actuator in which one end of the leanactuator is connected to the frame, the lean actuator being configuredto tilt the frame of the motorized tricycle; a plurality of inertialmeasurement unit sensors, one of which is operably coupled to the frame,each of the plurality of inertial measurement unit sensors performmeasurement of acceleration in three axes, angular rate in three axes,and measures magnetic field in at least one axis; a lean mechanismcontroller that is operably coupled to the lean actuator of thesuspension system, the lean mechanism controller including a sensorlayer that is operably coupled to the plurality of inertial measurementunit sensors, a verification layer that is operably coupled to thesensor layer and that includes a component that determines accuracy ofdata from the sensor layer by comparing redundant measurements from thesensor layer; and an active system that is operably coupled to the leanmechanism controller that operates in two modes: a first mode being anautonomous mode in which the active system includes a first componentthat generates a signal to tilt the motorized tricycle in response tolateral forces so that a resultant force acts in line with a centralaxis of the motorized tricycle, the signal being generated from theplurality of inertial measurement unit sensors, the signal beinggenerated independent of steering inputs, and a second component that iscoupled to the first component that sends the signal to the leanmechanism controller, the lateral forces including turning forces andeffects of wind or unlevel terrain, the active system also including athird component that is coupled to the first component and thatdetermines magnetic heading, road incline and smoothness, braking andacceleration forces, aerodynamic forces, skid and hydroplaning from datafrom the plurality of inertial measurement unit sensors, and a secondmode being an interactive mode in which the active system includes afourth component that detects a lean of a body of a human and a fifthcomponent that generates a signal to tilt the motorized tricycle inresponse to lateral forces so that a resultant force acts in line with acentral axis of the motorized tricycle that, the signal being generatedfrom the signal that is indicative of interaction with the human andfrom data from the plurality of inertial measurement unit sensors andthe plurality of inertial measurement unit sensors.
 15. The motorizedtricycle of claim 14 further comprising: triggers on a seat of themotorized tricycle.
 16. The motorized tricycle of claim 15, wherein thetriggers further comprises: at least one switch.
 17. The motorizedtricycle of claim 15, wherein the triggers further comprises: at leastone gyroscope.
 18. The motorized tricycle of claim 14 furthercomprising: a motorcycle saddle seat; handlebar motorcycle controls; andan enclosable cockpit.
 19. The motorized tricycle of claim 14 furthercomprising: a steering wheel operably coupled to one of the two rearwheels or the one front wheel.
 20. The motorized tricycle of claim 14further comprising: a seat.